Glad You Came
by IAmSherlocked96
Summary: When Matt loses Sam he's devastated but learns that life's too short to just sit around. With this in mind he sets about fixing all the broken pieces of his world
1. prologue

**Glad You Came**

**Prologue:**

Matt drummed a beat on the cafe table with the spoon and coffee stirrer he got with his drink. He'd always found drumming very therapeutic, even when he was a small child. There was something about making beats that calmed his nerves. Maybe it was because after a certain amount of time his heart beat seemed to keep in time with the rhythm. That's what he was hoping it would do for him now. A slightly hard hit on the table caused the spoon to fly out of his clammy hands. As he bent down to pick it up off the floor he could hear the sound of the cafe door creaking open. As he look up his mouth went dry and a vast lump grew in his throat. He suddenly felt a cold sweat awash all over him as the man stood in the doorway smiled and waved.


	2. Chapter 1

**Glad You Came **

**Chapter 1:**

_3 months earlier..._

The melancholy music quickly blurred with the voices of the crowd. The sea of black piled through the aged wooden doors, out into the courtyard and gathered around the flower arrangements that lay on the floor. Matt pushed his way through, bleary eyed, until he reached the front. He took a deep breath and laid his bunch of white lilies amongst the other flowers.

"Thank you Matt. They're beautiful." Matt spun on his heel to face the owner of the Irish accent. He shrugged and looked down at the floor.

"It was the least I could do. In fact I wish I could do more." He looked up so he could look Rose in the eye. "I'm sorry for your loss." Rose gave a weak smile.

"It was just as much your loss as it was mine. Sam loved you so much. She thought the world of you. I can't thank you enough for everything you did for her. You know, helping her out with school, paying for her prom dress, taking her on holiday and all that." Rose reached out and rubbed Matt's arm. Although she was hurting she knew that he was torn up inside too. Although Matt wasn't teaching at Waterloo Road anymore he was still an active part of Sam's life. He had thought of Sam as a kind of daughter, despite the fact that the age gap between the two of them was only 11 years. Telling him about Sam's death was one of the hardest things Rose had ever had to do. He'd come round the morning after she'd died bearing a carrier bag full of her favourite sweets and DVD's thinking he would be spending some quality time with her in her room. Unfortunately he ended up spending the day helping to arrange a funeral instead.

"I didn't do enough though did I Rose? I should have done more, been there more often. She needed a father figure in her life. That's what she went looking before she...you know. And no one was there for her to call dad." Rose shook her head.

"She had Tom. She called him her dad the day she died." Matt's gaze turned into an icy stare.

"What?"

"The day she died, Sam said that she had found a father in Tom, she called him her real dad." Matt felt a ripple of anger run through him.

"But what about me? What was I to her then? Nobody? I thought of that girl as my daughter, tried to be part of her life as much as possible. And then Tom fucking Clarkson gets to be daddy instead." He could feel everybody staring at him as he shouted, but he didn't care. Then Rose slapped him hard across the face.

"How dare you talk about Tom like that? I'll have you know he's been very supportive over these past few years. More than you have anyway. He actually gives a toss about all of my kids. Not just one."

Matt sneered. His eyes darted over the crowd until they locked on the person he was looking for. He marched over to Tom fists clenched. Tom stood frozen to the spot, mouth hanging open in shock. Matt pulled his fist back and punched Tom hard in the face. Tom staggered back, bewildered and confused. He clasped at his bleeding nose and stared right into Matt's eyes.

"What the hell was that for you stupid fag." Immediately Tom regretted using that word. Matt's sexuality had completely slipped his mind. He had no time to react as Matt's head connected with his chin. He fell backwards onto the floor and passed out.

Matt flinched as the nurse dabbed away at the tooth shaped cuts on his forehead. His aim had been off and he had ended up connecting with Tom's teeth, leaving him with an injury too. He felt like such a prat. He had no idea why he lost it the way he did, it just happened. Matt cast his mind back to the event. He was drunk; he knew that now, even if everyone else didn't. Matt had started drinking again the night after he'd found out about Sam. I t was the only thing that he could think of doing. He just wanted to forget. He remembered feeling so angry when Rose told him about Tom and Sam. She had been right. Tom was more of a father figure towards Sam; Matt was more like another older brother. It was just so hard. Sam was the closest thing he was ever going to get to having a daughter of his own. As a single, gay man it would take him years to be able to adopt and surrogacy was way too expensive to even be considered as an option. Truth be told Matt was incredibly jealous of Tom and his life. He had everything; a girl, a son of his own and 6 kids that considered him their dad. It was everything Matt had ever wished for. But there he was; gay, single and alone. Not even his own mother wanted him anymore. A single tear began to roll down his cheek. His phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He wiped the tear away and pulled out his phone.

**NEVER SHOW YOUR FACE ROUND HERE AGAIN. YOURE NO LONGER WELCOME AS PART OF THIS FAMILY. ROSE.**

Matt took in a deep breath. Things were going to have to change in his life. And fast.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Matt gave a heavy sigh as he walked over the door threshold and into his flat. He missed the days when he would step through that door and be greeted by a warm smile and a hug. Particularly when that smile and hug came from one Mr Colin Scott. He paused by the phone. He hadn't spoken to Colin since he left over 3 years ago. But that didn't mean that Matt hadn't missed him nearly every day since. No matter who he went out with, none of them measured up to his ex-fiancé. Colin had been his world. He was the one. Matt knew that. But sadly he was over 3300 miles away in New York. He had been offered the job of a lifetime and had taken it, but sadly left Matt behind. Colin had tried to persuade Matt to come with him and even tried to bribe him with promises of weekly visits to Broadway, but Matt couldn't bear to leave his beloved UK behind, so the two had gone their separate ways.

Matt dumped his bag on the glass dining table and pulled out the letters he had picked up downstairs. He flicked through them: bills he couldn't afford to pay; bank statements that would make him want to be sick. He paused when he reached a handwritten letter. His heart sank as he recognised the handwriting of the address. With a shaky hand he opened the back of the letter. Tears began to roll down his cheeks as he read:

_Dear Matt,_

_I hate to even think about this right now, but if you're reading this letter then it means I'm dead. How long I've been dead I don't know. But whatever the time period I hope that you've gotten on with your life and stopped grieving over me. Trust me, I'm not worth it. I know if I was still there and I'd said that you would have got angry and argued back, but there are some things and some people not worth crying over. I'd like to think that I was happy when I died. In my head I hope to spend my last moments surrounded by the people I love the most. You, Mum, Tom, Finn, Lauren, Denzil, Prince (although he may be a bit young) and Marley. You guys all meant the world to me and I am proud to be able to call you all my family._

_If I'm perfectly honest with you I don't know why I'm writing this letter. You already know everything that I'm gonna say. But just in case you don't I'm gonna say it anyway._

_I love you so much. You're like the dad I never really had. You took me in when no one else wanted me, you supported me when no one else wanted to know, you were ready to catch me whenever I was about to fall. I never really thanked you for that and I should have done. Sorry. Xx_

_There is another man that I call my dad thought. That's Tom. He's been amazing too and I'm a very lucky girl to have 2 such brilliant, amazing men in my life. It also just proves that a kid can turn out alright if they have two dads. So when you feel the time is right I want you on the phone to that adoption centre and I want you to become the actual father I know you've always longed to be. _

_And that's another thing. Call Colin. I know I never met him and for all I know he could have been a total prick. But you loved him (sorry LOVE him) so I know that he too must be an absolutely amazing guy. You want him back, we both know it. You never wanted him to go in the first place. Go to New York, find him and tell him how much he means to you! There's nothing here for you in Rochdale anymore. I don't want you becoming one of those really grumpy old men we used to see sat outside the castle inn on a Sunday afternoon or even worse, becoming like Budgen. You won't need to worry about my mum or brothers, they'll have Tom so they'll be fine. What I really want is for you to be happy and have everything you've ever wanted. You spend too much of your time trying to please everyone else, always shoving what you want to the back of the queue. But not anymore. Now is the time young Wilding. As you said to me before Carpe Diem. Seize the day Matthew Wilding. Because as I've come to learn. The day can be rather short and it can end with you simply wishing you had done more. _

_And if you don't do as I tell you I will come back and haunt you for the rest of your life! I'll rip up youre Freddie Mercury posters and put all you Cd's into the wrong cases amongst other evil things that will really get on your nerves!_

_All my love_

_Your little Bam Bam xxx_

Matt finished reading the letter and clutched it to his chest. He leaned against the wall and sank to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. He'd ruined everything. He'd gotten so angry with Tom and Rose because he thought it meant that Sam didn't love him anymore. But he had been so wrong. She did love him she just loved Tom too. And now she had gone and he had thrown every last connection he had with her away. He looked back at the letter. Her final wish was for him to go to New York and find Colin. He sniffed as his eyes glanced over the words "_there's nothing here for you in Rochdale anymore." _ She was so right. With Sam gone there was nothing keeping Matt in Rochdale anymore. It wasn't even as if he had Waterloo Road to cling onto. He had been made redundant from that job when the school combined with John Fosters. He and Jasmine were the first ones to be chucked out. Last ones in, first to go. He got up off his feet, wiped his eyes and walked to the phone. He hesitated before dialling a number. He inhaled deeply as the phone began to ring

"_Hello, Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Manchester Airport. How may I help you today?"_

"Hi, I'd like to book a ticket on your next available flight to New York please."

"_Ok sir would that be a single or return."_

Matt paused for a second in thought.

"Single please."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Matt took one last long look around the flat before closing the door for what he hoped would be the last time. He pressed the button for the lift and smiled to himself as he heard it creaking it's was be begrudgingly up to his floor. He would miss this flat, all its cosy comforts and quirks. It was so homely. That's what had made him and Colin so attracted to it in the first place. Stepping into the old metal cage, the thick wires seemed to give a kind of groan, as if they knew their old friend was leaving them forever. As he reached the bottom floor the doors slid open to reveal a bright and friendly, freckly face.

"Ready to go them Matty boy?" Matt's smile faded.

"Yeah, I suppose." He looked around him. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing here Sy?" Simon scratched his messy mane of ginger hair.

"I don't know if I'm honest with you mate. I understand why you're going. You know, cos of Sam and all that," Matt flinched at the mention of his former foster daughters name, "I'm just scared you're gonna be disappointed when you get there."

"How do you mean?" Simon leaned back against the wall and shrugged.

"Think about it Matt. Colin left over 3 years ago now. You've been longer without each other than you ever were with each other. He's probably got on with his life. I hate to say it mate but he's probably found someone else by now." Matt sniffed as he tried to hold back the tears that were gathering in his eyes. Deep down in his heart he knew that his best friend was probably right. But he still loved Colin so much and there really was nothing left for him in Rochdale anymore. Nearly 3 months had passed since the incident at Sam funeral and he had still not heard a word from either Tom or Rose. He had tried to find out who had sent him the letter from Sam but he had had no luck. Instead of continuing and putting himself through heartache Matt had decided to move his flight forward a few months to give him time to cancel his rent, quite his job, pack up and find a place to stay in New York. 3 months had gone by and today was the first day of the rest of his life and only now was Simon saying that he shouldn't go! Matt took I deep breath.

"I know that Sy. I know that chances are he won't even want to see my face when I get there. But you really don't understand just how much I love him. I have to at least try and get him back. I was gave up everything for him. I cut all relations with my mum and the rest of my family, I was gonna marry the man for god's sake. You don't just stop loving the man you were gonna marry do you?" Simon nodded.

"I understand. You need to do whatever you need to do. Just make sure you are prepared for the worst yeah?" Matt nodded vigorously. "Come on then mister. You've got a flight to catch and a man to win back!" Matt picked up the last of his suitcases from the floor. All his stuff was going to be kept at Simon's until he had found Colin and decided what he was going to do next. If he were to stay in New York then he would have it all shipped over, but if he decided to return to England then he wouldn't have the hassle of bringing it all back over again. One thing he was certain about, he wasn't coming back to Rochdale. He was taking with him a single suitcase and his old acoustic guitar which his dad had left for him when he died 7 years previous. He was a musician. That was all he needed, clothes for his back and an instrument to make wonderful melodies with. Suddenly it hit Matt that this was actually happening. It all seemed so surreal. He was going to the city of his dreams. He couldn't wait to be out on the streets, surrounding himself with the new sights, sounds and music. Broadway was so close he could almost hear it! Humming the tune of 'Empire State Of Mind' softly to himself he climbed into the passenger seat of Simons car and set off on his first leg of the 12 hour journey to the heart of the city and his hearts true desire.

Denzil Kelly watched silently from behind a bush as the curly haired man crammed himself inside his mate's car. A slight smile grew as tears trickled their way down his face. It was a satisfying feeling knowing that his sister's final request to him was complete. Matt had received the letter and carried out the instructions. His work was done.


	5. Chapter 4

**A.N: I know it may seem rather out of character for Matt to get angry and aggressive but the emotions he display's in this chapter are what I feel are extended versions of the Matt we see in s3ep15 when he is arguing with his mum. I believe that when it comes to normal people Matt is very passive and accepting but when it comes to the people he loves he really can't handle being hurt and so when he is hurt he just explodes. I also believe that he actually rarely gets angry so when he does he gets very angry as all the stuff he's been bottling up comes spilling out in one go. Who knows, I could be entirely wrong.**

**Erin **

**Warning: Matt uses a bad word at one point (naughty Matt)**

**Chapter 4:**

Matt pushed his seat back and laid his head against the pillow. He'd watched all the TV programmes and films that had even remotely interested him already and there was still 5 hours to go. His mind was buzzing and his concentration was at absolute zero. So many questions were racing around his head. What should he do when he got to New York? What if Colin was no longer working at the address he had left Matt 3 years previous? What if he wasn't even in New York? And most importantly what if he had moved on and found someone else? His heart started pounding in his chest. Why had he ever even left it this long to see him again anyway? What had led him to make the stupid decision to stay in Rochdale? It was decision that had brought him nothing but hurt and grief. Matt closed his eyes and cast his mind back.

_3 years previous_

_Matt frowned as he heard the scraping sound of metal on metal coming from the front door to the flat. He cocked his head to one side and watched half puzzled; half amused as his bumbling fiancé came crashing through the door. Colin staggered forwards and tripped over his own feet, sending himself flying to the ground. Matt set the wedding magazine he been reading down on the table and walked cautiously over to the suited heap on the floor._

"_Are you pissed or what?" Colin craned his neck to look at the 6 foot man stood in front of him. A huge grin grew on his face._

"_Matt Wilding you gorgeous man, have I ever told you how much I love you? 'Cos I do! I really do love you!" Matt chuckled and shook his head. He extended his hand and hauled Colin to his feet. _

"_Definitely pissed." Colin flopped down onto the sofa and loosened his tie._

"_Not pissed sweetie, just excited, very very excited; borderline hyper! In fact bring a bottle of wine over here. We celebrating, the good stuff, none of that cheap crap you buy from Tesco." Matt frowned, confused, but brought a bottle of wine and two glasses over anyway._

"_And what, may I ask, are we celebrating?" said a cautious Matt. He's partner was usually quite a serious man, never before had he behaved like this. Colin leaned in close to Matt._

"_I have been offered a job beyond my wildest dreams. I'm talking megabucks here too Matt. Seriously, we'd be rolling in it. Anything you want you could have. The wedding – sorted. You'd never need to worry about things like that again!" Matt leaned back in his chair._

"_Blimey. But what job? Where? Who offered it to you?" Colin took a large gulp of wine._

"_You remember that Dikran fella right? The one you met when you brought all the kids from school around. Well when he first set up his business I worked quite closely with him, cos he was so young and all that. I got to know the advertising trade quite well. And recently he's merged with this international company and is gonna be going global! It's gonna be one of the biggest advertising companies in the world."_

"_Right? What's that got to do with you?"_

"_Well Dikran remembered how good I was at the entire sales lark and so he's offered me the job of running one of the head offices!" Matt squealed._

"_Oh my God Colin, that's amazing." He took Colin's chin in his hand and planted a tender kiss on his lover's lips. "I'm so proud of you. So what though, he's setting up a new office in Manchester?" Colin shook his head._

"_No, not Manchester...wait for this...he's asked me to head up the new office in New York! How fantastic is that?" Matt's face fell._

"_New York? As in New York, America?"_

"_Yup. Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Broadway, New York! Can you believe it?"_

"_But what about me?" Colin frowned._

"_Well you'd be coming with me wouldn't you?" Matt scoffed._

"_Colin I have a job. I can't just pack up and leave. We only just moved here! What about Mum? It was hard enough for her when I told her I was moving to the other side of the country. What will she say when I tell her I'm moving to the other side of the world? What about our friends? What about the Civil Partnership we're supposed to be entering in 6 months?" Matt was on his feet yelling now. Colin pushed himself as far back into the sofa as he could go. He'd never seen Matt this angry._

"_I thought you'd be happy for me." He whispered, tears forming in his eyes "I thought you'd love to go, what with you not actually knowing if you still have a job yet and with everything that happened with your Mum last month. I thought you'd be thrilled to get out this town." Matt let out an exasperated laugh, running his hands through his short blonde hair._

"_Happy Colin? How would this make me happy? I gave up everything for you! I had a life back in London: friends, family, my dream! And I packed all that up in a heartbeat...for you. Now I've finally settled down again and found a new career that I love, you just want me to give it all up cos you've got some poncy new job with some stuck up, rich twat? Why can't we just stay here, we're both happy enough. Or at least we were. And as for my mum, yeah we're going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment, but need I remind you that my Dad is dead. Even though she won't admit it at the moment, she needs me, and if I go swanning off to the United States of fucking America then I can't exactly be there for her can I? Everything I did Colin, I did because I love you. But this is too much."_

"_But you need to see, that's why I did this Matt, because I love you! I know you might not see it now but think how happy we could be in the future!"_

"_Happy? Colin we've not been happy together for nearly a year now. It's stupid to keep trying to deny that. What, do you think a change of scenery and a flashier car is going to change that? It will make you happier, sure, having your pockets stuffed with cash. Because money is the only thing you truly care about! You're cold and you're selfish. You never have done and never will do anything for me or for love." Colin got to his feet and shoved Matt as hard as he possibly could. Matt stumbled back slightly, his feet got twisted trying to keep his balance and so he fell down tripping over the coffee table as he went. Matt saw red, in full rage he scrambled back to his feet and returned the shove. Being nearly half a foot taller than his partner and having considerable stronger arm muscles due to the intense amount of drumming he did came into full effect. His palms connected hard into Colin's chest, knocking the wind right out of him. Colin gasped for air as he staggered backwards onto the sofa. He looked up at his partner with pleading eyes. His vision was blurred due to the tears that were gathering but he could just about make out the shape of a tightened fist flying towards him before it smashed into him, turning his world black._

Matt jerked as he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He opened his bleary eyes to see who it belonged to. A smiling air hostess, with thick red lipstick and bleach blonde hair that was tied back in an almost perfect bun, was the owner. Matt pulled away. He'd never been keen on air hostesses. They always seemed so false. A previous boyfriend had been an air steward and Matt had quickly learnt from the stories he was told that you should never be anything but nice to them or you may find a hot cup of coffee being "accidently" spilt all over your lap with no napkins available to help clean it up. The hostess pointed a finely manicured nail towards the glowing signs on the ceiling of the aircraft cabin.

"I'm sorry sir but if you haven't noticed the seatbelt sign is on." Her voice was shrill and she spoke with a thick southern American accent. Matt rubbed at his sleepy eyes.

"Sorry, what?" The air hostess clasped one hand on top of the other in front of her lap and continued to give Matt a sickly smile.

"Sir, please fasten your seatbelt."

"Right, yeah, sorry." Matt scrambled underneath his blanket for the two straps under the watchful eye of his new "friend". Once satisfied the hostess nodded and gave yet another forced smile.

"Thank you sir. Enjoy the rest of your flight." Matt forced a smile back although it quickly turned into a sneer once his helped back was turned. The man next to him chuckled.

"Let it go son." Matt turned and gave a light, thankful smile back to the stranger. He closed his eyes once more and drifted back off to sleep for the remainder of his journey.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

As Matt stepped out of the taxi onto the streets of New York, he could already tell it was a place like no other. It was just like he'd imagined it would be: the distinct smell of tobacco in the air, mixed with petrol and exhaust fumes; the stampede of black ghosts talking a fast, almost foreign, language down their sleek devices; the sea of yellow monsters with gleaming red eyes moving at a snail like pace on the road behind him. Matt craned his neck to try and catch a glimpse of the top if the tall tower that stood proudly in front of him. All the buildings around him seemed impossibly tall, and for the first time in his life Matt felt small and weak. It truly was a concrete jungle. But this didn't stop his mind from buzzing. He was in the city of dreams, there was so much to see and do and so little ti...Matt froze. The thought suddenly occurred to him that he didn't have a ticket home. Until he decided otherwise New York was his home. He had all the time in the world to see the sites and do everything he wanted to do. Grinning to himself, Matt flung his favourite leather satchel over his shoulder and started to stumble his way up the polished, marble hotel steps - suitcase in one hand, guitar case in the other. He panicked as an unfamiliar hand reached out to grab his case, but a deep friendly chuckle reassured him.

"Relax friend, I'm just trying to help." The white gloved hand hoisted the case onto the luggage trolley he had waiting at the top of the steps. The man extended his hand. "I'm Norman, Norman the doorman, I know. But you can call me Noddy – everyone does." Matt grasped Noddy's hand and shook it firmly, taking in the man that stood before him as he did. Norman was short and plump. His neck was non-existent thanks to the high collar of his emerald green and gold coat. Matt guessed his age at around his late 50's, nearing retirement. His afro hair was cut short – like his beard – and speckled with patches of grey. His broad smile took up most of the lower part of his face – so much so that it pushed his chubby cheeks higher up causing him to squint.

"Matt Wilding. Nice to meet you and thanks." He gestured towards his case which was being carted off by a young looking bell hop.

"First time in New York?" Matt nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, first time this side of the Atlantic to be exact!"

"Haha, well welcome son. If you need anything be sure to let me know." Noddy began to usher Matt inside into the grand lobby. "How long are you here for?" Matt shrugged.

"No idea. I came here at rather short notice. Could be here for a week, a month, maybe even a year! Who knows?" The older man frowned and stopped in his tracks.

"Well what brings you here then, business? Or let me guess, a musician. Chasing the big dream!" Matt chuckled.

"What gave it away? Could it possibly be the guitar case I'm carrying?" His smile faded slightly as he went into deep thought for a moment. "Truth be told I'm here for love. I made a mistake a while back. Let go of someone I should have never let go of. I'm here to try and rectify that mistake." Noddy nodded.

"I see and I say good luck to you. Here," Noddy reached into the pocket of his uniform and pulled out a small piece of paper. "take my card. Call me if you need a hand with anything. And remember, everything happens for a reason. Whatever will be will be." Matt took the card and nodded.

"Thank you and I will do."

"Good. Now why don't you check in? I bet you're tired, get some rest and start your adventure tomorrow kid! See you later." Noddy waved a chubby hand and swaggered back to his post at the hotel steps. He liked this Matt kid, he seemed like a good and honest boy. He hoped he would find what he was looking for. Noddy looked back through the glass windows into the lobby. He rolled his eyes at the site. Matt was obviously trying to get away from the reception desk to head off to his room but Ricardo was too busy flirting with Matt to actually notice. The receptionist flirted with nearly every good looking man that walked into that lobby alone (even sometimes when they obviously weren't alone). He'd never succeeded in his attempts to pull a man. But unlike the other men (who normally just tried to walk away as fast as possible without seeming rude) Matt seemed oblivious to the obvious, and quite frankly, outrageous advances of Ricardo. Instead he just stood there, making polite conversation with the Puerto Rican. Noddy shook his head and giggled to himself. By the looks of Ricardo's face, this was not going to be pretty.


End file.
